Photographer&#39;s studio bench



. K. CAH'ILL i PHQTOGRAPHER Jan. 31, w39.

S STUDIO BENCH 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 1o

Jan. 31, 1939.

C.:` K. CAHILL i PHOTOGRAPHERS STUDIO BENCH Filed Sept'. l0, 1937 ,2 Sheets-Sheet-'Z "wwwww Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITEB STATES ement ortica 3 Claims.

-The present invention relates to a novel convertible bench which is especially, but not necessarily, adapted for use in a photographers studio, and the outstanding purpose of the structure is to facilitate proper allocation of a plurality of subjects in ensemble or group relation to provide a well balanced objective satisfactorily and clearly within the range and focus of a portrait lens.

A glancing consideration of the preferred em,- bodiment of the invention as depicted in the drawings will be found substantially self-explanatory, since it is self-evident that, as a general proposition, the especially shaped and designed seat serves to accommodate three persons sit- .ting and two persons standing in proper relative posing positions.

Indicated along structural lines, the special adaptation of the arrangement selected is char- `acterized by a cushioned bench wherein the rear edge portion of the cushion is provided with longitudinally spaced notches to accommodate the subjects standing.

A further objective is to provide a bench of' the style indicated having properly shaped auxiliary cushions or seats of a projectible and retractible type, said auxiliary seats being independently adjustable to perform as stools usable in properly seating small children.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the bench as constructed in accordance with my present perfected ideas.

Figure 2 is a reduced top plan view of the assembly seen in Figure 1 with the auxiliary cushions or seats in predetermined diverging relationship.

Figure 3 is afragmentary plan view of one end portion of the cushion.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view disclosing the adapter iixtures and brackets for the auxiliary cushions or seats.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the segmental shaped auxiliary cushions.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevation of said auxiliary cushions.

Figure 'I is a section on the line 1-7 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of one end portion of the socket-equipped arm of the swingable adapter xture.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a perspective viewof a planeor rectangular cushion Ysuch as may be substituted for the notched style seen in Figure 1, Whenever necessary or desired.

In Figure 1 the main `supporter base is de- -noted by the numeral I I and4 comprises a suitable frame I2 having appropriate supporting legs I3. This base serves to accommodate the interchangeable cushions It and I5 (see Figures 1 and 10, respectively). 'Ihat is to say, sometimes it is desirable to use the plain cushion I5 instead of theespecially designed grouparranging cushions I. Manifestly, however, I am concerned primarily with the latter cushion, and it is to be observed that this is of any appropriate construction in so far as the padding and nish is concerned. The main thing is to observe is that said cushionis approximately rectangular and in its rear longitudinal edge is provided with substantially semi-circular accommodation notches i.

IS which are in effect temporarily usable stalls for the standing subjects. As before pointed out, the ordinary construction adopted would be to accommodate three persons sitting on the bench and two standing at the rear of the bench. It is obvious, however, that the proportions'maybe `varied to change this ratio.

Turning over the cushion and looking at the underside thereof, as seenin Figurefl, it will be observed that at the center is a substantially fo V-shaped bracket Il having diverged branches I3 functioning as guide channels, and these coordinate with arcuate or approximately curved guide channels formed in the end brackets I9 also lxedly mounted on the under side of the, cushion structure. This plurality of guide and retention brackets serve to accommodate the adapter fixtures 20. Each fixture is the same in construction, and a description of one'will suffice for both. Reference being had to Figure 4, it will be observed that the fixture comprises a somewhat U-shaped frame pivotally attached as at 2l with its end portions 22 appropriately curved to be maintained in substantially concealed position beneath the notched portions of the bench. The extremities may be defined as arms 23, and these are disposed and properly curved to swingably coact with the channeled portions of the brackets I8 and I9. The headed studs 24 are merely stops to limit the outward projection of the arms 23. Each arm is the same in construction, and reference being had to Figure 8, it will be observed that in its top the arm has a recess 25 which is in effect a slideway or pocket to accommodate the block-like latch 28,

The latch has a depending actuating finger 21 operating in a clearance slot, said nger carrying a coiled spring 28 tted in an accommodation socket 29. At this point, and as shown in Figure '7, there is a hanger bracket at 3B to accommodate a lever 3|, the lever being pivotally mounted as at 32 and having its upper operating end 33 for engaging the spring pressed finger 21. Thus, this handle or lever is manually manipulated to control the action of the latch.

As further noted in Figure 7, the latch is located in parallelism to a depending tube 34 detachably mounted in a threaded collar 35. This tube is in effect an open ended socket to accommodate a shaft 36 carried by and depending from a bracket 31 mounted on the bottom of a segmental auxiliary cushion 38. The shaft 35 is axially rotatable as well as slidable in the tubular socket 34. It is provided at longitudinally spaced points with annular grooves 38 which are in eifect keepers, that is, keeper seats for the keeper latch 26. The furcations 39 on the latch are obviously releasably engageable in these keeper grooves or seats 38. Thus, it is possible to raise or lower the auxiliary cushion 38 and to turn it axially. As seen in Figure 9, the tube carries a surrounding band or collar 40 provided with a set screw 4l engageable with the shank or shaft 36 to hold in a set position against rotation.

It is evident that each fixture 20 is in eifect pivotally mounted, projectible and retractible mounting or adapter means for the auxiliary cushion. That is to say, either arm 23 at the end of each xture can be projected into use to place the cushion either at one end of the main cushion, or toward the center of the rear portion thereof. Moreover, the auxiliary cushions themselves can be raised or lowered to desired elevations or twisted axially to permit them to be arranged in diierent relative angular relationship. This is brought out by comparing Figure 1 showing diiferent positions with the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2. The projectible and retractible idea is brought out, with the auxiliary cushions removed, in Figure 3. Thus, the auxiliary cushions are bodily detachable, interchangeable, and are thus suflciently diversied in character and positioning to fulfill the needs and requirements in the average studio for group posing.

The stanchion-like cushion structure provides a self-contained unitary assemblage which predetermines the relative position of the plurality of subjects constituting the group, and by thus subjecting the subjects to this temporary ensemble relationship, an effective group portrait is susceptible of production. Being diversified, from an adjustable standpoint, it is seemingly needless to more than describe the structure, allowing the various results to speak for themselves.

It is thought that the description taken in con` nection with the drawings will enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

I claim:

1. A photographers studio bench comprising a cushion having an arcuately shaped notch in one edge thereof, supporting means for the cushion, a substantially U-shaped frame pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the under face of the cushon and including a connecting portion and arms extending angularly to said connecting portion for alternating movement outwardly from under the cushion at the notch thereof by the pivotal movement of the frame in opposite directions, and seat fastening means on said arms to permit securing of a seat on either of said arms when positioned outwardly from under the cushion.

2. A photographers studio bench comprising a cushion having an arcuately shaped notch in one edge thereof, supporting means for the cushion, a substantially U-shaped frame pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the under face of the cushion and including a connecting portion and arcuately curved arms extending angularly to the connecting portion and curving in the direction to each other towards the free ends thereof, arcuately curved guides secured to the under face of the cushion and slidably supporting said arms during the full movement of said arms, stop means on the cushion for limiting the pivotal movement of the frame, and seat fastening devices on said arms to permit securing of a seat 40 on either of said arms when positioned outwardly from under the cushion.

3. A photographers studio bench comprising a cushion having an arcuate shaped notch in one edge thereof, supporting means for the cushion, a substantially U-shaped frame pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to the under face of the cushion and including a connecting portion and arms extending angularly to said connecting por-v tion for alternating movement outwardly from under the cushion at the notch thereof by the pivotal movement of the frame in opposite directions, depending tubes carried by said arms and adapted to receive a seat supporting rod when positioned outwardly from under the cushion, and fastening devices coacting with the sleeves for releasably securing the seat supporting rod therein.

CHARLES K. CAHILL. 

